Water-measuring device for concrete mixers



June 24, 1930. H. F. WILMS 'WATER MEASURING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Filed April 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 24, 1930. H. F. wlLMs I 1,765,476

WATER MEASURING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Filed April 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a FJ .1720 e IZZY"? Q/WJ.

; Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE may 1'. wzmms, or CLEVELAND, o'nIo,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

.. THE J'AEGER MAOHINE COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01 OHIO 4 WATEB-MEASUBIN G DEVICE FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Application filed April 19, 1928. Serial No. 271,240.

, This invention relates to a liquid dispens The invention has for one of its objects the rovision of an apparatus of the type reerred toincluding novel means for. breaking the siphon.

Another object is to provide means for accurately determining the quantity of liquid which. will pass through the siphon before it is caused to break.

I .The numeral 10 designates a sheet metal tank such as is in common use in connection with concrete mixing machinery; the tank being closed except for a vent pipe 11 which extends from the top thereof. A gauge glass 12 is mounted on'the tank for indicating the level of the liquid contained therein. I

a It is desirable that as little time as ossible be consumed in the filling and disc arging of the contents of the tank and to this end there ispro vided a pipe 13 of large diameter through which the water enters and leaves the tank. The pipe 13 enters the tank Other objects of the invention and the ad; at the side thereof ad acent the top and exvantages to be derived a through" practic thereof will b come apparent from the followin detailed description of a preferred embo fment ofthe invention as applied to the water tank of a concrete mixing machine. It will be understood however, that the inpable of a widevariety of applications without departing from the spirit thereof.

It has been discovered that the correct proportioning of the water in a concrete mixture bears a very distinct relation to the quality of the finished work and "numerous means have been devised for ascertaining theproper quantity of water for a given quantity of other ingredients comprising a batch, together with various means for delivering the proper quantity. It is even customary to take into consideration the moisture content of the sand and other ingredients so that the exact proportion may be determined.

The present invention provides means for breaking the siphon at any desired level of the water in the tank and for determining, with great accuracy, the quantity of water passing through the siphon to the mixer and,

therefore, constitutes an important advance to said use but is catendsthrough the interior of the tank to a point adjacent itsbOttom. Suitable flanges 14. are provided onthe tankand pipe at the point of entry. j

As stated hove, the water is caused to en-- ter and leave the tank throughgthe large pipe 13 and this is accomplished bymeans of a three-way valve, (not shown) located at a convenient point, which in one position connects the pipe 13 with the water supply and in its other position permits the water to flow from the tank through the pipe 13, by the well-known siphon principle to the batch container of the machine, the vated with respect thereto.

The construction just described is more or less well known in the art and forms no part of the present invention which contemplates v which communicates with the siphon 13 at a point adjacent the top of the bend therein and extends downwardly to a point midway of the height of the tank, at which point it is connected with a horizontally disposed housing 16 bolted or otherwise secured on the,

wall of the tank. The housing 16 is formed with atapered bore which is cut away opposite the end of the pipe 15 to form an annular" channel 17 A member 18 havin its outer surface tapered to conform to the F ore in the tank being ele- I housing is secured for rotation therein. The

member 18'is formed with an axial bore 19 for a portion of its length which is in communication with the annular channel 17 by means of apertures or ports 20. The open end of the'member 18 communicates with the interior of the tank throughan aperture 21 formed in the tank wall.

A pipe 22, similar in size to the pipe 15, is secured to the open end of member 18 and extends into the tank, a portion thereof being disposed radially with respect to the tubular member 18 extending to a point adjacent the wall of the tank so that as the member 18 is rotated the open end of the pipe will be raised or lowered within the tank according to thev direction of rotation of the member 18.

' The outer end of the member 18 projects beyond the end of the housing 16 and is adapted .to receive a hand lever 23 which'is clamped thereon by means of a bolt 24 or otherwise suitably secured, so that movement of the hand lever 23 will cause rotation of the member18 and pipe 22.

"It will .be apparent that rotation of the member ,18 will cause the open end of the pipe 22 to be raised or lowered within the tank according to the direction of movement of the hand lever. It will also be apparent that when the water falls below the level of the end of the pipe 22 air will be admitted into the pipe and will pass through the'member 18 and pipe 15 to the top of the large siphon pipe 13 whereupon the vacuum in the large pipe will be broken and the flow of water willcease.

For determining the position of the hand lever 23 to permit a given quantity of water to pass through the siphon, prior to the breaking of the vacuum, there is mounted on the housing 16 a quadrant 24 which is graduated both in pounds and in gallons. The lower edge of the quadrant is formed with a shoulder 25 that is engaged by a clamping nut 26 carried by the hand lever 23. The hand lever also carries a pointer 27 which cooperates with the graduations on the quadrant 24.

The operation of the device is as. follows:

Assuming the tank 10 to have been filled with water by manipulation of the three-way valve and the quantity of water required for azcertain concrete batch to be known, the hand lever 23is moved to adjust the end. of the small pipe 22 at theproper level for such quantity as indicated on the quadrant 24, the clamping nut 26 is then tightened and the three-way valve moved to its discharge position. The water in the large pipe 13 will now begin to. flow and will cause water to be siphoned from the tank, due'to its elevated position, until the water passes the level of the end of (pipe 22 whereupon air will enter the pipe an will pass to the top of the siphon pipe 13 breaking the vacuum therein and causing the How of water to cease, the water that it is not limitedto such use but is capable of application wherever a. siphon may be employed. I, therefore, desire that only such limitations be imposed as-are set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device adapted to be used with a liquid dispensing apparatus including a tank which has associated therewith a siphon provided with a leg communicating with a lower portion of the tank, said devicecomprising a housing adapted to be secured to the exterior of the tank and having a tapered bore and an annular chamber, a pipe associated with said housing and communicating at one end with the bore therein and at its other end with the siphon, a rotatable member in said tapered bore of said housing, a second pipe associated with said rotatable member and having a radially disposed portion extending into the liquid holding portion of said tank, a lever associated with said rotatable member, and means for eflecting communication between said pipes.

2. A device adapted to be used with a liquid dispensing apparatus including a tank having associated therewith a siphon which said'bore, a pipe associated with said hous ing and communicating at one end with the annular chamber and at its other end with the siphon, a tapered rotatable member arranged in said tapered bore of said housing and having a bore extending for a portion of its length and radially disposed openings communicating with said bore and with the annular chamber in said housing, a second ipe associated with said rotatable member and in communication with the bore therein, said second named pipehaving a radially disposed portion extending into the liquid holding portion of said tank, a lever associated with the outer end of said rotatable member for rotating the same, and means for securing said lever in various positions of adjustment.

In testimony whereof, Iihereunto aflix my 

